Praying for peace in Palestine

LITCHFIELD — The raging conflict between Israel and Hamas may be thousands of miles away, but its brutalities resonate deeply with Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach of Chabad Lubavitch of Northwest Connecticut.

“My grandfather got killed in 1948 in Jerusalem, when he was 33 years old, for the same reason these people are getting killed. Because they are Jews,” said Eisenbach.

 “My other grandfather was a holocaust survivor. I never thought that in my lifetime, that in 2023, we would be witnessing a mini holocaust.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Chabad Lubavitch hosted a candlelight vigil and evening of prayer, support and action for Israel. Eisenbach said the escalating war has not only impacted the Jewish community, but humanity at large.

During the hour-long vigil, town and state officials from Northwest Connecticut packed the historic Methodist Church on the Litchfield Green to show “unwavering support for Israel and to pray for the victims and the wounded, and for lasting peace in the region,” said Eisenbach.

While he noted that “every single life is precious,” the Rabbi denounced the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas.

 “The bottom line is, it was a huge act of evil and a huge act of terror and we are all in pain and we are all in mourning.”

George Logan, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes in the 5th District, was among those who attended the vigil sponsored by Chabad Lubavitch, a Litchfield-based, nonprofit organization that serves over 5,000 people of all ages in Northwest Connecticut through its celebrations and outreach programs.

“I was drawn to the event because I, like so many in our community, continue to mourn the tragic loss of life and horrific violence inflicted on innocent Israelis at the hands of brutal terrorists,” said Logan.

“I wanted to be able to join our community in prayer and show my steadfast support for our Jewish neighbors.”

Silence speaks volumes

About a half dozen Northwest Corner organizations, officials and individuals, whose family members have either been impacted by prior acts of violence against Israel, or who serve the Jewish community, declined to comment.  

Two days after the attack on Israel, a rally was held in New Haven in support of the Connecticut Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT), which represents 150,000 Muslims statewide.

According to the CAIR-CT, the Israel/Palestine war stems from decades of systemic violence and oppression targeting Palestinians.

In a statement last week, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy called the attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas terrorists on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War “unconscionable.” 

He said the United States “stands firmly with the Israeli people and supports the government of Israel’s right to defend itself from this horrific violence.”

Murphy said ‘many people on both sides will suffer as a result of Hamas’s orchestrated attacks, which will only cause more chaos and misery.”

Gov. Ned Lamont, who directed U.S. and State of Connecticut flags lowered to half-staff until sunset on Saturday, Oct. 14 in recognition and in mourning of the lives lost from the attacks in Israel, noted: “Our hearts break for those facing this terror. Connecticut stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, and we are praying for lasting peace for the entire region.” 

State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64), who said she was not aware of the recent vigil in Litchfield but would have attended, noted that she has had casual conversations with people in passing since the conflict broke out.

 “They have been expressing heartbreak and bewilderment, grief and fear, over this situation and are trying to figure out how best to hold the people who are most affected by this in our care.”

She suggested that those who want to help can reach out to local Jewish organizations, but noted that some people,or organizations, may prefer to remain private for personal reasons.

 “I think it kind of encapsulates the desire in people trying not to make political statements out of this, or because they are experiencing shock and heartbreak over the loss of life and violence targeting very young children and the elderly who were just living their lives.”

Horn said the events unfolding in Israel may be particularly traumatic for people who had relatives in the Holocaust “and have spent so many years building a better life, and now to be faced with this. You know what’s coming.”

The state official, who formerly chaired the Public Safety Committee that passed legislation to help state police deal with hate crimes, also pointed to a heightened awareness of antisemitism.

Having worked with several Jewish organizations in the past, Horn said she is “aware there is an uptick in antisemitic language. It was definitely on the upswing then, and they were concerned about that becoming a continuum.”